Warnings have been issued over fake bracelets made to look like merchandise from Disney film Frozen that could slash children's wrists when they are worn.

The counterfeit snap bracelets - made up of a flat steel spring band covered with plastic and decorated with characters from the film - are being sold on eBay at £5.75 for a pack of 10.

Julie Brooks, a mother of two from Nottinghamshire, discovered that the novelty merchandise is actually made of sections of cut steel measuring tape, covered in cheap thin plastic that could easily tear exposing the sharp metal.

She reported the discovery to Nottinghamshire County Council which has now issued a safety warning over the 'lethal' bracelets.

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Nottinghamshire County Council has issued a warning over dangerous fake 'snap bracelets', which feature characters from Frozen but are made from cut metal measuring tape and could slash a child's wrist

The bands, which feature counterfeit Disney branding, are referred to as 'snap' or 'slap' bracelets as they wrap around a child's wrist when slapped against it. They feature the main characters from the film, including Elsa the Snow Queen, whose popularity among children has led to a high demand for Frozen merchandise in the run up to Christmas.

Nottinghamshire County Council said it had received a number of complaints from parents concerned about the bracelets being sold. It issued the warning because of fears the plastic casing is so thin it could easily tear, exposing the sharp metal to children's wrists.

Glynn Gilfoyle, chairman of the county council's community safety committee, said: 'As Frozen merchandise is the latest craze this Christmas, many parents are struggling to find items for sale and may be tempted to buy counterfeit versions online.

'As this example shows, cheap toys from outside the European Union available from online auction sites are often not well made and have not undergone any safety tests so can be lethal for children to handle.

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'As these snap bracelets come into close contact with a child's wrist, these versions could cause a lot of harm so we are urging parents to avoid them at all cost.'

Mrs Brooks, 42, bought two packets of the bracelets online for a children's birthday party but was shocked when she discovered beneath a simple plastic cover they were made from cut sections of steel measuring tape.

The mother of two, of Newark-on-Trent, then reported her discovery to Nottinghamshire County Council's Trading Standards department.

She said: 'I saw on Facebook a story where a cheap snap bracelet cut a child's face. It was a link shared by my friends.

There are fears the fake Frozen bracelets could harm children who want them due to the popularity of the film

The fake bracelets, in packs of 10, are being sold on eBay for cheap prices as demand for merchandise grows

Elsa the Snow Queen in Frozen is a popular character in the Disney film, leading to demand for merchandise

'I was horrified when they arrived as they looked so poorly made, so I decided to cut one open and found a cut up metal tape measure inside, so it was clearly designed not to be used as a toy.

'I got a refund but I just want to warn other parents to steer clear of these dangerous items before there's an accident.

'It is quite a big, serious thing.

'It is measuring tape, like what you would use in your home. It has even got the numbers on it.

'As soon as I opened one, I could see they were very dangerous. The metal inside is really sharp. It could slice a child's wrist.

'If I chucked them in the bin, someone could have still got them. So I contacted Trading Standards straight away.

Shoppers at Poundworld in Nottingham stripped the store of all Disney's Frozen goods within 10 minutes

'I knew they were dangerous and I just don't want any kids to get hurt.'

The council said it had received a number of complaints about the fake bracelets being sold, including about some being sold at a shop in Newark.

Coun Gilfoyle said the store has been advised of the dangers of the bracelets and has now stopped selling them.

Different versions of the fake bracelets are being sold cheap online, with some being put up for sale for as little as 99p for a single band.

Concerns over the bracelets came to light because Frozen merchandise has became so popular recently following the release of the Disney film.

Last week parents stripped a new Poundworld store in Nottingham of all Frozen merchandise within 10 minutes, some working as tag teams to ensure they got the best bargains on cups, lunchboxes and advent calendars featuring characters from the film.

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Warning over fake Frozen bracelets made from metal measuring tape being sold on eBay which could seriously hurt children